Messier 66

M66 as observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope as part of the SINGS. The image is a four-channel false-color composite, where blue indicates emission at 3.6 micrometers, green corresponds to 4.5 micrometers, and red to 5.8 and 8.0 micrometers. The contribution from starlight (measured at 3.6 micrometers) in this picture has been subtracted from the 5.8 and 8 micrometer images to enhance the visibility of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions.

^ abM66 is a member of the famous Leo Triplet a close group of galaxies that includes M65 and NGC 3628 It has a distorted appearance due to gravitational interaction with NGC 3628 and a lesser extent M65, about 800 million years ago. Zhang, Xiaolei; Wright, Melvyn; Alexander, Paul (1993). "High-Resolution CO and H i Observations of the Interacting Galaxy NGC 3627". Astrophysical Journal418: 100. Bibcode:1993ApJ...418..100Z. doi:10.1086/173374.